A Twilight Zone of Music
by mizmeliss21
Summary: Melissa is a journalist sent on assignment to get a story from a retired naval captain. But the whole thing looks very von Trapp family to her. Of course she gets more than just the story...
1. Chapter 1

Dislcaimer: I don't own anything from the Sound of Music... enough said, on to the story.

**Chapter 1**

"You're late."

"Is that anyway to greet me?" I was standing face to face with Sophie, my co-worker. _Two minutes late_. But of course that didn't matter to her. I could have been ten seconds late and she would not have been happy. That was just how Sophie functioned, she was too particular about everything. Sometimes I think she was out to make my life as miserable as possible.

"Melissa… you need to be more punctual." She smiled at me and looked to the floor. Many times I felt that I was in a convent with all these rules. Plus my bosses were extremely strict, not to mention pious. I smiled and headed off to my office trying not to let Abby (my boss) see me. But of course Sophie decided to take matters in her own hands and headed towards Abby's office.

"Abby… we've got to do something about Melissa. She is so unfocused lately. Always appearing late for work, she never meets her deadlines…" Sophie my arch foe started off in a rant but luckily Abby stopped her but putting her hand up. Bertha walked into the office on the tail end of the rant but sat quietly with a folder in her lap.

"Melissa is just a girl… give her a break." Abby said looking at Sophie.

"Yes, give her a break. You expect too much of her." Bertha said breaking her momentary silence. Just then Marguerite and Bernice walked in. It was a bash-Melissa meeting apparently. And I was working silently in my office completely clueless to what was going on down the hall. They continued to argue over my working habits. Bernice and Sophie weren't too happy with me. Bertha could care less of the whole thing and Marguerite managed to stand up for me.

"Ladies… ladies. Give her a chance. She is just a young girl. In fact I have a new assignment for her anyway. On your way out please tell her that I would like to see her." Abby looked at all the ladies in her office and they all walked out silently. I still didn't know that they were even in there. Soon Marguerite stepped into my office with a timid smile on her face.

"Mel, Abby wants to see you about something." She stepped out quickly. I let out a small sigh and walked over to Abby's office. I kept my head down as I walked over to her office. Right away I knew that this meeting would probably not be good. I was not looking forward to it. I kept wondering what on earth she could have found wrong with me this early in the morning. But I was sure Sophie had been some help.

I knocked on the door and I heard a light "Come in." I stepped into Abby's office and took a seat facing her. She was looking at a file of something. I just kept my head down until she addressed me. I hoped that I wasn't being fired. I had only been here a short time. _What will I do without this job? Great that stupid Sophie finally found something to get me fired with. _I thought to myself.

"Melissa… I have an assignment for you." I looked at her. An overwhelming sense of relief came over me. I wasn't being fired at all. "In September, honoring the September 11 tragedy of last year we are doing a special piece on military heroes. There is a retired naval captain residing up in Long Island. I want you to get to know him, know his children. I want an in depth biography. You will be there for the summer. He will be on the cover of September issue. This man…" Abby looked down at her file. "Captain George Vaughn, is living in a small mansion with his seven children."

"Seven children!" I exclaimed.

"You liked children right?"

"Yes but not seven of them. That's a lot of kids."

"I could be worse. I could be eight." I looked at Abby and rolled my eyes. "And his wife has passed away. You will interview the captain and in the meantime become the caretaker of the children. Get to know them. Use them in your article."

"But why can't you send anyone else. Many of the other workers here probably would be better than me." I said politely.

"I want you to go. You need some life experience. It will help you become a better journalist." Abby smiled at me. I looked at her still confused about this whole thing. It sounded very odd indeed.

"What exactly am I looking for?"

"Anything. That is the fun part. This is your story. Do it in whatever angle you'd like. Any more questions?"

"This is strange. It is all very Von Trapp family don't you think? I mean seven kids being raised by their father alone."

"Well you might have just found your angle." Abby smiled at me. I stood up and started to head out the door. "You are expected tomorrow morning." I smiled at Abby hoping that this assignment would go by quickly. However things weren't looking all that bad. This could be her chance to prove herself as a distinguished journalist. She was very grateful to Abby for giving her this chance.

"Thank-you Abby. I won't let you down." I said to her with a small smile on my face as I headed back to my office. I packed my things, knowing that I would have the rest of the day off to pack for my trip. I would spend the entire summer with this family. How was I going to survive with seven children? I myself was an only child. My parents died when I was young and have been living in foster homes for years.

"I think it would have been better to get these children a nun named Maria." I muttered to myself as I grabbed my things and headed out the office doors. I took a deep breath knowing that my life could be forever changed. I looked forward to the end result… a front page article of my own. I smiled and headed home to pack.

As I was walking down the street to my apartment I heard my cell phone ring. I stopped to search through my purse to find the phone. I wondered who would be calling me now. Perhaps it was Abby letting me know that I had to go to a convent and take a vow of silence or something. I finally found the ringing annoyance and answered it.

"Hello?" I said but no one answered right away. I paused for a moment. "Hello?" I repeated.

"Melissa?" The girl on the other end said with question in her voice.

"Yes this is she. Who is this?" I asked still having now clue who was calling me.

"It's Kelsey." I paused for a moment trying to think of a Kelsey that I knew. "From church choir." She added. I couldn't believe that after all these years she would be calling now. It was a good thing but I was still curious as to why she felt that she needed to call me now and how she got my number in the first place.

"How did you get my number?"

"Christie gave it to me. I know we haven't talk in a long while but I was just thinking about you and I thought I'd give you a call. I know it seems random."

"It's not random, it's sweet. Did you get my Christmas card?"

"Yeah, I was looking through them and so I decided to give you a call. How have you been girl?" I told her about my job at TIME and the article that I was working on now. I told her how odd it was that it was similar to events in the sound of music. I also found it very ironic that I just saw Kelsey in the musical the week before on Broadway. Kelsey didn't even know that I came. "It is all very strange Melissa." She said after I finished my story.

"Yeah I am a little freaked out too." I said to her as I turned up on 44th.

"Well you have to keep me posted. Well I got to go, call me later ok?"

"It was good talking to you."

"Yeah it was."

"Bye."

"Bye." And I hung up the phone. A few moments later I reached my apartment building. I walked up the stairs to the fourth floor where my apartment was. I went inside and started looking for my suitcase. I didn't know what I would need for this adventure so I decided to pack a bit of everything. I headed for bed a moment later knowing it was going to be a long summer.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The next morning I was running late. My alarm didn't go off on time so I rushed into the shower. I put my wet hair up into a pony tail and grabbed my suitcases. I hurried down the stairs at a quarter to six, fifteen minutes later than I had planned on. Luckily the cab was late as well and just arrived. So I put my luggage into the trunk and got into the car.

For the entire hour and a half ride I was extremely nervous. My hands were trembling and my palms were sweaty. I had no idea what to expect from a retired naval captain and his seven children. I had never been a nanny before. I had not siblings, no cousins, or anything like that. But Abby thought that I might be good with children. Perhaps it was because I was still a child myself. But would that be good enough for the Vaughn family?

When I reached the house I was in shock. The front year alone was twice the size of my apartment building. There was a cobblestone pathway that led up to the front doors. There were millions of flowers and trees spread about the yard. I had to take a moment to take it all in. So I grabbed my luggage and made my way up to the house. _If the front yard is this magnificent I can only imagine what the inside of the house looks like. _

When I reached the front door I saw a brass lion doorknocker. I let it fall against the door twice. A few moments later a tall and skinny man answered the door. I walked inside and was even more overwhelmed. There were paintings and tapestries everywhere. There were even a few sculptures. I stepped carefully onto the marble floor. The butler took my luggage up the grand staircase that was behind me. I stood alone in the entryway, frightened to death.

"You." I heard a deep booming voice say. I jumped out of my skin practically. I turned around to see a tall man. He had short dark brown hair. He had a clean shaven face but his skin was darker. He had cold gray eyes but the longer I looked in them I could see a hint of blue. He stood straight up his hands behind his back which made him seem even taller.

"Are you the new governess?" I nodded and smiled. He did not smile back at me however. He just looked at me for a while. He motioned for me to turn around and I did so. I felt like I was being examined to see if I was suitable to be a governess for his children. "I do hope you will stay longer than the last one. She only lasted three hours."

"Oh." I said to him.

"Yes. Now you will meet the children." He turned to the grand staircase and pulled out none other than a whistle. I couldn't decide if I was disgusted or humored by this action. He blew into it a couple if times and his children all came out of the rooms. I looked up at them curiously and wondered how they could every answer to a whistle. They all came marching down the stairs in a straight line. He then turned to me and handed me a whistle.

"Listen up. Each one has their own call." He blew into the whistle three times and the eldest girl stepped forward.

"Leslie." She called. The Captain then blew into the whistle two times but it was drawn out. Then a boy stepped forward.

"Fredrick." The captain blew into the whistle making a bird like noise. The girl next to Fredrick stepped forward.

"Louise." She was then followed by more whistles. Curtis, Bridgette, Martha, and Gretchen were the other children. He then looked at me.

"Well let's see how well you listened. But when I want to call you, you will hear this." He proceeded to blow some annoying whistle into the whistle and I put my hand.

"I don't think I could answer to a whistle. It is for animals. I would be too humiliating." That was the first I had spoken to him since I had been there.

"The first rule in this house is discipline. You will use your whistle and you will answer to your call." My face was growing red hot with anger from this man's sense of pride and stubbornness.

"And what should I do to call you?" I asked.

"You may call me Captain." He said slowly.

"Well Captain, I am afraid I won't be needing this Captain." I handed him the whistle. "I shall call the children by their names, Captain. I do hope you understand, Captain." I smiled at him. To save me from further embarrassment the butler came into the room letting the Captain know he had a phone call. He walked out of the room and left me alone with the children. Of course unlike Maria, I knew a few or thing or two about children.

"So you are our new governess I presume?" Leslie said to me with a scowl on her face.

"Yes I am. I bet you are thinking you don't need one." She looked at me for a moment.

"I am sixteen and too old for such things."

"Good to know then. If the rest of you will please tell me your ages and repeat your names for me." The older boy stepped forward.

"I'm Fredrick and I'm fourteen."

"Do you ever go by Fred?"

"No." He said sharply.

"I'm Louise." The next girl said to me. "And I'm thirteen."

"I'm Kurt and I'm eleven, almost."

"Good age, eleven almost." I said to him with a smile. The next girl stepped forward.

"I'm Bridgette and I'm nine."

"I'm Martha." The little was tugging on my skirt hem. I bent down to her level. "And I'll be seven on Tuesday."

"Really. So what do you want? A pink parasol?" She nodded. I had watched that movie too many times. The little who did not speak earlier but was introduced by her father came up to me next.

"And you're Gretchen." She nodded and smiled.

"How old are you Gretchen?" She held up five fingers. I smiled at her and then stood up straight up. "You are practically a lady." Now I wasn't going to make the same mistake that Maria made by telling them I had never done this before. But I wasn't here to play babysitter. I was here to get the story I needed. _The children will help you gain a better knowledge of the Captain. Things from several different perspectives are good._ A little voice in the back of my head told me.

"Alright children…" a voice said. The maid was entering the room. "It is time for your afternoon walk." I walked over to the banister to head to my room but turned back to look around me. And I found a small toad on the floor. I walked over to Louise and smiled her.

"I believe you forgot something." I handed her the small toad. There was a smile upon her face.

"You're smarter than the others." She whispered to me. I then turned around and followed the maid up the stairs to my bedroom. There were many bedrooms. Each one had the name of a child on the front door. I expected them to be well decorated. But each one was written in small block letters on the top center of the door. This house was nothing like I expected. I had seen families with four or more children and the house was filled with toys, clothes, and was usually a complete mess. But not this one.

"Here is your room." The maid said to me when we reached the end of the hall. She opened the door for me and I stepped inside. It was a very simple room. There was a bed in the corner and a desk opposite it. There was full length mirror next to the dresser. Near the bed was an empty bookshelf. My clothes had already been unpacked any my suitcases were hidden underneath the bed.

"Lunch shall be served out on the terrace. You will be dining with the children. You have about one hour to get yourself settled before you are requested to be out there." The maid said to me quickly before walking out the door. I managed to hear her talking with the butler, making wagers how long I'd last. In fact I was beginning to wonder how long I'd last myself.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

I walked onto the terrace in the lavender dress that I changed into. No one else was out there and I was much surprised. So since I had time, I looked at the grounds. I was completely overwhelmed by the vast size of the place alone. And it seemed that many of the places out on the grounds went untouched. It was as if children did not even live here. But I could tell that the Vaughn family children were not normal.

"Beautiful isn't it." I heard a deep voice say and I nearly jumped out of my skin. I turned around to see the Captain staring at me. I smiled at him but he just sat down at the table and looked at me to do the same. So I followed suit and sat down across from him. There were four chairs on my right and three on my left.

"Yes it is beautiful." I replied to him as I sat down. "I have never seen a place so large and so… amazing."

"Well I'm glad you like it." There was something about the Captain's voice that made me think he wasn't just saying it. If I wasn't mistaken I thought I saw a faint smile but then heard the footsteps of the children and the smile was soon gone. He looked to the door that they entered from. One by one the children stepped out onto the terrace. They spoke not a sound and sat down according to their age.

Not a moment later but the chef came out with the lunch plates. No one even dared touched their food until the last person was served. When the Captain picked up his fork then his children did the same. I could feel that they were all looking at me, as if I was being examined. I picked up my fork but did not start to eat until the Captain started to eat. This was all too formal for me, personally. But I said nothing.

I was not used to eating meals in silence. I could tell that something was seriously wrong with the whole thing. I continued to eat, however. I would look up from my plate to stare at the grounds and then I would look at the Captain and the children but none of them seemed to notice I was looking at them. I decided to give it my best go at trying to start some sort of conversation.

"These grounds really are beautiful. I have never seen such a house before. You have great taste Captain."

"Thank-you." He said quietly.

"So what happens after lunch?" I asked timidly.

"The children have their afternoon walk." He said sharply.

"I see. And then what?" I was going to get this man to say more than a sentence at this meal if it was the last thing I do.

"Their lessons." He was now getting annoyed with me, I could tell. He put his fork down and looked up at me. The children were very interested in what was going to happen next. It seemed as if this was not a usual lunchtime event. I was actually a little afraid of him. But I stared back at him. "Do you have a specific reason for pestering us with all these questions?" He asked me with harshness in his voice.

"I was just trying to get to know the routine around here. I don't want to miss out on something." I responded, almost sarcastically.

"Well I tell you then." He had that same hint of sarcasm in his voice as well. "We wake up early and the children take a morning walk around the grounds. Then they have their morning lessons. Then they go to their rooms and practice their respective instruments. Leslie plays the piano. Fredrick and Curtis play the violin. Bridgette and Louise play the flute. The little ones are learning bells. And then we come out here for lunch. After that they take an afternoon walk and then have their afternoon studies. They have exactly one hour of freetime before dinner. Then they are sent up to their rooms for reading and then they are off to bed."

"And when do they…" I was hesitant about asking this question. "when do they play, sir?" He looked at me curiously.

"My children don't play, they march." I was afraid of this answer but also extremely freaked out by it. I felt like I was in the twilight zone of music or something. It was all really frightening and curious as well. But I stopped asking questions of the Captain because I did not enjoy the look he kept giving me every time it looked as if I was going to say something.

"Tell me something Miss Anderson, are you always this curious?" He asked me with almost a glare in his eyes.

"I want to be journalist sir. I always ask questions." I said to him, being careful not to mention why I was really here. At least not now and defiantly not in front of the children. I had a feeling that the Captain already knew about my assignment. Because I had never told him last name.

"And you became a governess for what reason may I ask?" I could tell he was taunting me now.

"I have to pay the bills somehow don't I?" I replied quickly. "For someone who doesn't like questions you seem to ask a lot yourself don't you?"

"You are by far the most sarcastic governess I have ever come into contact with. You do know that sarcasm is the lowest form of wit." He said to me with that same scowl in his eyes.

"Yes but when you engage in a battle of wit you better come prepared." I replied to him. I could tell that the children were in amused by this minor battle of wits. They stopped eating their food to watch the Captain and I battle back and forth. We were silent for a moment but no one was touching their food. I stared into the Captain's gray eyes so long that they seemed no longer gray.

And as if out of no where a sudden rush of emotion came over me. I felt as if my heart had stopped beating or at least skipped a beat. I could not breathe. It was as if this wave of attraction had come over me. I had not taken time to notice the features of my employer. He had great cheekbones and a strong jaw. His face was actually very smooth for a retired naval captain. And his eyes… the longer I looked into them the more I could not look away.

"I prefer silence at meals Miss Anderson if you don't mind. Or are rules above the future journalist." I could not speak to him for some reason. I just lowered my head and shook my head. I knew I could not upset him any longer. But when he noted that I had stopped being sarcastic his mood almost seemed to drop. He seemed to be enjoying my playful wit which was the opposite of what I would have expected.

"Children I think it best that you go for your walk next. Miss Anderson, you are expected to go with them." I stood up but I did not look at the Captain again. I couldn't look into those eyes once more. "And please refrain from showing the children the same courtesy as you do me."

"Yes sir." I took a deep breath and walked back into the house and down the stairs. The children were all lined up at the door, waiting for me. Leslie and Louise kept looking at me and then quickly glancing at the floor. I knew that they were greatly amused at what had happened at lunch today. I did not find it funny at all but rather embarrassing. I opened one of the large double doors and waited until Gretchen had walked outside before shutting it.

As we started our walk I followed Gretchen so I could keep an eye on the children. I did not bother to try to make conversation with them because I felt I would only further embarrass myself. As we walked further into the grounds I looked up at the terrace to find the Captain watching us from his seat. Apparently he had not moved. I found it hard to take my eyes off of him. But I then caught him looking at me and my glance moved quickly.

For about an hour we walk around the grounds. None of the children spoke a word to me or each other the entire time. I could still feel that the Captain was watching us the whole time. I felt very uneasy about him doing so. After what seemed like the most painful hours of my life we walked back into the house. The children headed off slowly to a large room at the other end of the house.

"Miss Anderson." I heard that familiar deep voice behind me. The Captain was staring at me from the stars above. All the children walked even slower now as if to catch most of the conversation. "You'll be attending the children's lessons. Fredrick, Leslie, and Louise are in the room on the far right. Curtis and Bridgette are the room on the far left. Martha and Gretchen are in the center room. Spend one hour in each room with them." He then walked off towards his own room.

"You like him don't you?" Leslie said to me. I turned at her confused and bewildered at the comment. "I can see it in your eyes, especially in the way you look at him." I did not how to respond to this at all. At least in the movie they didn't bother Maria until much later. I was here for one day and they were already bothering me about liking the Captain. But I couldn't help think that it might true.

"I don't know what you are talking about Leslie." I lied.

"You're not a very good liar then." She said to me as she headed off to her room. What I did not see and what was defiantly not in the movie or the play was that the Captain had not made it completely to his room. He had heard every word that Leslie said. He continued to stare at me but fortunately I did not look behind me.

"Anything is possible. But how could I like a man as arrogant as he." I whispered to myself. But he managed to hear that as well. He then walked off quietly to his room. I headed off to the Martha and Gretchen's room first, hoping to avoid the entire subject of my attraction to Captain Vaughn all together. I refused to believe what my heart was telling me. I was refused to believe I might have feelings for him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

And this routine continued for several days. I was beginning to get very bored with it myself. And I was getting nothing for my story… except that it was obvious that Captain permitted nothing in his house that reminded him of his wife. It was truly a pity though. I felt that these children deserved a better father than the one they had. Or at least one who could handle loss better. I would have thought that a man who was used to watching his men die in battle would be accepting of death. I had to find out why he grieved his wife so much.

And then my opportunity came. I finally had a moment alone with the maid. I would try and pry some information out of. I slipped my recorder in my pocket, sticking out so it could catch her words as well as mine. She was putting in new curtains in my room and I was checking my email and such. I decided it was now or never if I wanted to get the story.

"So why is the Captain so insistent about routine?" I asked, one of the questions that had been on my mind for a long time. She paused for a moment, to think about the answer. Soon she resumed what she was doing but eventually answered my question. She began to look around as if to make sure than the Captain was not watching her.

"Well ever since his wife died, he runs his household like he does one of his ships. He is an extremely heart broken man. I met them when they were only newlyweds. I had never met anyone so… happy. They were so in love with each other. But of course she is no longer here and he is left an unhappy and extremely grief stricken man." She replied is a quiet tone. I pulled my recorder out of my pocket, knowing that if she stayed busy that she would never notice it.

"But if he was a naval captain once, don't you think he was used to the idea of death."

"I suppose so." She said as she finished one window.

"Why do you think he never reacted this way in that situation?"

"Well people act differently in battle than they do at home. Plus no one here could say he didn't grieve for his men. A man like him gets easily attached to good people. I hear he was one of the greatest naval captains in history. He would not risk the lives of many to save the life of one but would always do things that would keep the most people alive." She said finishing the next window. Only one more left. I had to get a few more things in.

"So when exactly did his wife die."

"About five years ago." _That is right around Gretchen's age_. "She died in childbirth with the youngest. I am surprised that he ends up treating Gretchen most like a child. Perhaps because she is the only thing that can still remind of his late wife. I don't really know all of it. I can only guess." She finished the last window. "But if you really want to know some more about the Captain, I'd ask the oldest ones. If you'll excuse me now."

The main dumped the curtains in the waste basket and I looked at them curiously. I knew that I could not make play clothes on my own. But if I sold them then I might be able to buy the children some. I could use some of my left over cash that I had before I took this job as well. I had a smile on my face and turned my recorder off. And lucky for me, the captain was going out of town tomorrow.

_Perfect._

Two weeks had gone by. I had managed to call a cab into town the day after the Captain had left. I went and purchased two sets of play clothes for the children and bought The Sound of Music on DVD. I felt that they should watch it so I wouldn't be the only one laughing at what may be considered inappropriate times. When I came back they were surprised and delighted.

But I never stopped hearing about how I was destined to fall in love with the Captain. Leslie and Louise never let me forget that parallel. But during the month their father was away we managed to do a lot less marching and a lot more playing. I taught them all kinds of card games; I even taught the older ones poker. Curtis was becoming quite good at it. They learned many other games as well. Everyone in the household seemed a lot happier, including the staff.

And I almost forgot something about Leslie. Just like in the movie she had a thing for the, well he was the UPS guy. Something today say about modern times. But anyway one night at dinner she found out that there was a delivery and she volunteered to go and sign for it. At first I thought it was nothing but after dinner I looked out my window to see her sneaking back in the house, later than I expected. She must have known I saw her because when there was another delivery I told her to go and get it.

A few days before their father's expected arrival I wanted to teach them a song to sing when he came home. I should have guessed that their reply would be that they don't know any. The older ones remembered the movie and laughed along with me. I smiled and told them not to worry that would learn something in due time. So I went out once more to purchase sheet music for the song: The Sound of Music. It was one of my favorites from the movie.

By the morning of their father's arrival all the children were sitting in the den practicing. Little did we know that the Captain had decided to come home early and little did we know that he wasn't coming alone. They were all standing around me and I was playing the guitar for them. They started singing just as the Captain opened the door.

_The hills are alive with the sound of music  
With songs they have sung for a thousand years  
The hills fill my heart with the sound of music  
My heart wants to sing every song it hears_

My heart wants to beat like the wings of a bird  
That rise from the lake to the trees  
My heart wants to sigh like a chime that flies  
From a church on a breeze  
To laugh like a brook when it trips and falls  
Over stones on its way  
To sing through the night  
Like a lark who is learning to pray

I go to the hills when my heart is lonely  
I know I will hear what I heard before  
My heart will be blessed  
With the sound of music  
And I'll sing once more

All was silent. Normally the children begged me to play once more but they were silent now. I couldn't understand why until I saw that the captain was standing in the doorway staring at all of us. I put my guitar away quietly, not wanting to stare into his eyes again. I then looked up at him to see a female companion at his side. I was shocked but I didn't show it. I should have seen it coming though. He did not smile but he sent the children up to their room. I then walked out of the room, not wanting to look at him.

"Wait here." He said harshly to me. I stopped in my tracks and a wave of fear came over me. I could hear his lady friend going on and on about how wonderful that was but he told to her go on up to the guest room and that he wanted to talk to me alone. I became even more frightened, not that he would yell. But I was frightened because I was being left alone with the captain.


End file.
